Abstract
Blue mussels, Mytilus edulis L., were collected at a site in Trondheimsfjordon, Norway in 1980 and 1981. The mussels isolate themselves from the ambient seawater for long periods in winter. When isolated, the mussels maintain a high osmotic concentration in the mantle fluid as the external salinity drops. The mussels display anaerobic metabolism when they are isolated. The isolation response is likely to be favourable to the mussels, with regard both to the energy budget and the freezing tolerance.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Aarset, A. V. (1982). Freezing tolerance in intertidal invertebrates (A review). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 73A: 571–580
Aunaas, T. (1982). Nucleating agents in the haemolymph of an intertidal mollusc tolerant to freezing. Experientia 38: 1456–1457
Block, R. J., Durrum, E. L., Zweig, G. (1955). A manual of paper chromatography and paper electrophoresis. Academic Press, New York
Brand, T. von (1946). Anaerobiosis in invertebrates Biodynamica Monographs 4, Normandy, Missouri
Costa, C. J., Pritchard, A. W. (1978). The response of Mytilus edulis to short duration hypoosmotic stress. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 61A: 149–155
Davenport, J., (1977a). The siolation response of mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) exposed to falling seawater concentrations. J. mar. biol. Ass. UK 59: 123–132
Davenport, J. (1979b). Is Mytilus edulis a short term osmoregulator? Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 136: 53–59
Kanwisher, J. W. (1955). Freezing in intertidal animals. Biol. Bull. 109: 56–63
Kanwisher, J. W. (1959). Histology and metabolism of frozen intertidal animals. Biol. Bull. 116: 258–264
Kanwisher, J. W. (1966). Freezing in intertidal animals. In: Meryman, H. T. (ed.) Cryobiology. Academic Press, New York, p. 487–494
Kluytmans, J. H., Veenhof, P. R., Zwaan, A. de (1975). Anaerobic production of volatile fatty acids in the sea mussel Mytilus edulis L. J. comp Physiol. 104: 71–78
Krogh, A. (1939). Osmotic regulation in aquatic animals. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Lange, R. (1963). The osmotic function of amino acids and taurine in the mussel Mytilus edulis. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 10: 173–179
Lange, R. (1970). Isosmotic intracellular regulation and euryhalinity in marine bivalves. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 5: 170–179
Meryman, H. T. (1971). Osmotic stress as a mechanism of freezing injury. Cryobiology 8: 489–500
Milne, A. (1940). Some ecological aspects of the intertidal area of the estuary of the Aberdeenshire Dee. Trans. R. Soc. Edinburgh 60:107–139
Murphy, D. J., Pierce, S. K., Jr. (1975). The physiological basis for changes in freezing tolerance of intertidal molluscs. J. exp. Zool. 193: 313–322
Patané, L., (1955). Cinesi e tropisimi anidro-e-anaerobiosi in Littorina neritoides (L.). Boll. accad. sci. nat. Gioenia-sper. 3: 65–73
Pierce, S. K., Jr. (1970). The water balance of Modiolus (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Mytilidae): Osmotic concentrations in changing salinities. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 36: 521–533
Pierce, S. K., Jr. (1971) Volume regulation and valve movements by marine mussels. Comp. Biochem. 39A: 103–117
Pierce, S. K., Jr., Greenberg, M. J. (1972). The nature of cellular volume regulation in marine bivalves. J. exp. Biol. 57:681–692
Pierce, S. K., Jr., Greenberg, M. J. (1973) The initiation and control of free amino acid regulation of cell volume in salinity stressed marine bivalves. J. exp. Biol. 59: 435–446
Ricketts, E. F., Calvin, J. (1948). Between pacific tides. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford
Sakshaug, E. (1972). Phytoplankton investigations in Trondheimsfjord. 1963–1966. K. norske Vidensk. Selsk. Skr. 1:1–56
Shumway, S. E. (1977). The effects of fluctuating salinity on the osmotic pressure and Na+, Ca++ and Mg++ concentrations in the haemolymph of bivalves. Mar. Biol. 41: 153–177
Williams, R. T. (1970). Freezing tolerance in Mytilus edulis. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 35: 145–161
Zwaan, A. de Bont, A. M. Th. de, Kluytmans, J. H. F. M. (1975). Metabolic adaptations on the aerobic-anaerobic transition in the sea mussel Mytilus edulis L. Proc. 9th Eur. mar. biol. Symp.: 121–138
Zwaan, A. de, Marrewijk, W. J. A. van (1973). Anaerobic glucose degradation in the sea mussel Mytilus edulis L. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 44B: 429–439
Zwaan, A. de, Wijsman, T. C. M. (1976). Anaerobic metabolism in Bivalvia (Mollusca) I. Characteristics of anaerobic metabolism in Bivalvia (Mollusca) I. Characteristics of anaerobic metabolism. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 54B: 313–324
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by T. Fenchel, Helsingør
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Aunaas, T., Denstad, JP. & Zachariassen, K.E. Ecophysiological importance of the isolation response of hibernating blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). Marine Biology 98, 415–419 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391117
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391117